“There’s a very fine line between being helpful and flogging stuff on the back of a crisis.” The statement belongs to Ian Henderson, Chief Executive of ad agency AML Group, who said this to CNBC. And we couldn’t agree more: Given the coronavirus crisis, people don’t want to be bombarded with ads from companies they haven’t heard of in ages. Yet, with people spending more time at home, in front of the TV and with their phones in their hands, it means that there are a lot of opportunities to advertise. Brands continue to promote themselves, but what’s the best way to do this? According to Tammy Einav, CEO of ad agency Adam&eveDDB, this is the moment in which a business has to be extra careful.

With social distancing on the agenda, agencies find themselves in the impossibility of shooting spots. Still, some of them have found a loophole: BBH agency uses animation, illustration, CGI (computer-generated images), VFX (visual effects), motion graphics, compositing, stock footage, user-generated footage, and more. AMV BBDO is collaborating with artists who work from home. Director Ruben Latre did the same for meditation candle company Candleosophy, filming an ad for the brand from the comfort of his own home. Recycling is yet another method ad agencies use to promote brands during these days. McCann Spain did this for Ikea, finding inspiration for the 2020 ad from a 2017 one.

The same strategy was adopted by Newburyport agency Mechanica. They asked themselves: How could they produce a TV campaign for their old client Forcepoint when they can’t hire a crew, go on location, or even leave their houses? How can they make this project work? Instead of complaining about the new rules the whole world has to follow, the creatives adapted to them. They went through their archive and they discovered that an ad, called “Burning Questions” — shot three years ago — was eerily perfect for this day and age.

And just like that, “Together” was born: Same footage, different story. The three-year-old ad looks for answers to one simple question: “Where do you look next to find the best defense?”. Forcepoint finds a solution to this dilemma. In their eyes, people are the ones who can protect a company’s data. The “updated” ad highlights humans’ ability to collaborate, even in times like these. “As a human-centric provider, Forcepoint is here to not just protect, but also to safeguard the potential to work, innovate, and help us feel safe as we adjust to new norms,” says the team behind the spot.

The campaign was created in an optimistic note, “assuring tone that sparks thinking and conversations among senior decision-makers and influencers around the world, beyond the traditional technical audiences,” continue the artists. They also say that the video will run across digital channels, with a focus on WSJ.com properties. According to them, the last campaign, “Blue Sky,” featured on the platform, exceeded many of the WSJ’s engagement benchmarks by 30-50%. Who knows, maybe this one will surpass these numbers. Fingers crossed, Forcepoint!

Credits:

Client: Forcepoint

Agency: Mechanica